Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 27, 2015

Community leaders and residents in San Francisco protest after Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone's mandates that teachers at four Bay Area Catholic high schools cannot publicly challenge church's teachings; ban includes dogma condemning homosexuality and embryonic stem cell research. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Vatican sends official diplomatic note to Mexican ambassador insisting that Pope Francis meant no insult when he made comment linking Mexico to drug trafficking, offending Mexican government. MORE

Feb. 18, 2015

Indian Prime Min Narendra Modi says his government will not tolerate violence toward religion and will move forcefully against any such crimes; remarks are seen as response to attacks on Roman Catholic churches in New Delhi. MORE

Feb. 16, 2015

Bishop Cosma Shi Enxiang, one of few Catholic bishops in China who refused to renounce loyalty to pope, is reported dead; has been imprisoned for decades and in recent years held in secret location without charge; authorities deny report when family members attempt to collect his remains; diocese of Hong Kong appeals to Chinese government to release body for burial if he has died and to free another imprisoned bishop. MORE

Feb. 15, 2015

Sexual assault case brought by Spanish man David Ramirez Castillo has become one of the most serious to emerge under Pope Francis, but has also come to symbolize church's more open and assertive approach under his tenure; allegations include child abuse, a sex ring and cover up involving as many as 10 priests; Francis encouraged Castillo to pursue his case after he contacted him personally, and then ordered investigation and complete transparency. MORE

Feb. 13, 2015

Jim Dwyer About New York column describes discord between New York's Catholic school teachers and New York Archdiocese over raises and school closings; archdiocese says it has offered teachers contract renewal with no raise along with promise not to close any more ailing New York City schools, or alternative of 1 percent raise and 10 school closings; teachers find both proposals unacceptable. MORE

Feb. 13, 2015

Parishoners at Catholic churches across New York State merged or closed by Cardinal Timothy M Dolan express bewilderment at byzantine system of limitations imposed on obtaining or viewing decrees; those affected accuse officials of secrecy and attempting to limit churches' ability to appeal; archdiocese posts decrees on website after New York Times inquiry into matter, claiming oversight. MORE

Feb. 8, 2015

Feb. 7, 2015

Jennifer Finney Boylan Op-Ed article maintains Roman Catholic Church's narrow and discriminatory views are responsible for driving away many faithful; notes church has turned out many in need of acceptance, like gays, lesbians and transgender people, or in need of help, such as addicts; urges Pope Francis to reach out to such people during scheduled visit to New York and offers hope that church may eventually return its faithful. MORE

Feb. 4, 2015

Pope Francis honors as a martyr Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was shot to death at altar in 1980 as he was saying Mass; move clears way for Romero to be beatified. MORE

Feb. 3, 2015

Attack on St Alphonsa's Church in New Delhi is latest in series of episodes that has prompted Roman Catholics in India to call on Prime Min Narendra Modi to condemn religious intimidation; church leaders criticize Modi's government for failing to address issue of religious freedom, which human rights advocates have paid close attention to in country since Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power. MORE

Jan. 26, 2015

Vatican releases balloons as symbol of peace in St Peter's Square, year after gull and crow attacked doves that were released, sparking protests by animal protection groups. MORE

Jan. 26, 2015

Hundreds of people attend Sunday mass at Manhattan's Our Lady of Peace, one of 112 parishes the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York plans to close or merge as church attendance wanes and finances weaken. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

Pope Francis has set in motion debate about whether Roman Catholic Church should change its stance on divorce, which will be decided when bishops gather in October for second Vatican synod; debate has been set off due to millions of divorced Catholics around world; traditionalists point to fact that church offers option of seeking annulment for marriage, but many Catholics say they dislike process. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column suggests that Pope Francis' comments about Catholics not having to procreate like rabbits was acknowledgement that church's strict views on contraception do not conform with messy reality of the world; notes that while Francis was not deviating from church teaching, statement is reminder of how Francis is altering stridency with which church addresses problematic aspects of its doctrine. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

Pope Francis attempts to quell criticism of his remark that Catholics should not breed 'like rabbits,' saying that statement was meant to encourage responsible parenthood. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

Rev Junipero Serra, 1700s preacher in California whom Pope Francis plans to canonize, is blamed by native American historians and authors for suppressing their culture and for premature deaths of thousands of their ancestors at missions; there is mounting anger over what some refer to as romanticizing of missions' history. MORE

Jan. 21, 2015

Pope Francis remarks that Catholics should not feel compelled to breed 'like rabbits,' amusing some people and insulting others; says Catholics should practice responsible parenthood while remaining mindful of church's views on contraception. MORE

Jan. 21, 2015

Archbishop Cardinal Timothy M Dolan notes Pope Francis will make short trip to United States stopping in New York City for one day to address United Nations. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

Pope Francis says time limits will preclude a visit to California during his September 2015 trip to United States, but he will visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

Six million people in the Philippines turn out to see Pope Francis as he celebrates Sunday Mass in its capital Manila, part of his five-day visit to country. MORE

Jan. 17, 2015

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis files for bankruptcy in light of clergy sex abuse claims. MORE

Jan. 16, 2015

Pope Francis makes first papal visit in 20 years to Philippines and is greeted by cheering throngs in deeply Catholic country where church is grappling with social change and its decline in political power. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Pope Francis visits Sri Lanka, saying in speech that religious leaders should help in process of reconciliation after civil war. MORE

Jan. 13, 2015

Vatican says Pope Francis will visit Sri Lanka and Philippines in his second trip to Asia in six months; Francis hopes to convey message of reconciliation and peace in Sri Lanka, which has endured decades-long civil war, and commiserate with loss suffered by people in Philippines due to 2013 typhoon; focus on Asia highlights how Roman Catholic Church has shifted attention away from Europe in last decade. MORE

Jan. 10, 2015

Samuel G Freedman On Religion column examines history of landmark basketball game played in Nashville in 1965 as racially integrated team from Father Ryan High School faced all-black Pearl High School squad; says game was not only a landmark in sports and civil rights, but also brought attention to role of Catholic Church in the Jim Crow South. MORE

Jan. 6, 2015

Rev Robert Harrison, Capuchin priest and assistant principal at Cardinal Hayes High School in Bronx, is dismissed after admitting he sexually abused about 10 minors in New York region and Milwaukee in 1970's and 1980's; school's president sends letters to parents saying no abuse involved students at Cardinal Hayes. MORE

Jan. 5, 2015

Pope Francis names 15 new cardinals from 14 countries in his attempt to diversify church hierarchy and increase global influence of church; nine new bishops and archbishops are from developing nations, including those that have never had a cardinal. MORE

Jan. 3, 2015

St John's Seminary in Boston has been sold to Boston College in order to pay settlements to sexual abuse victims, 10-year process that has transformed the 65-acre property; Italianate palazzo where all of Boston’s 20th-century cardinals, as well as visiting Pope John Paul II, once slept is being remade into a museum; seminary gymnasium is now a dance studio and former chancery is the college's alumni center. MORE

Dec. 27, 2014

Samuel G Freedman On Religion column profiles Rev Brian Gross, minister at Epiphany Catholic Church in Watford City, ND; Gross tends to ambitious and desperate people drawn there by promise of jobs related to hydraulic fracturing industry. MORE

Dec. 26, 2014

Pope Francis emphasizes plight of children in areas of conflict in traditional Christmas address; calls for global peace and expresses hope that world will heed plight of needy by ramping up humanitarian aid. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Roman Catholic clergy members and hundreds of parishioners rally in Ciudad Altamirano, Mexico, to demand release of Rev Gregorio Lopez Gorostieta, priest kidnapped from local seminary, and to protest ongoing kidnappings, killings and robberies of priests throughout Guerrero State. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column praises Christmas address given by Pope Francis, in which he reminded Roman Catholic Church leaders of their true mission and ministry; compares Francis to his predecessors, and argues that Francis has in the first two years of his papacy made church more accessible and receptive. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

Poland halts inquiry of former Vatican ambassador Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, who has been accused of sexually abusing boys while serving in Dominican Republic, due to fact that Dominican investigators have not responded to requests for materials and evidence. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

Pope Francis, during his traditional Christmas address, criticizes Vatican bureaucracy, warning that many of church's leadership suffer from 15 'ailments and temptations' like desire for power and lack of spiritual empathy; urges them to evaluate and improve themselves. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Editorial applauds report from Pope Francis's Vatican offering praise and gratitude to the 50,000 American nuns who quietly labor among nation's downtrodden and impoverished; contends original inquiry into behavior and fidelity of the sisters, ordered by Pope Benedict XVI, was underpinned by male chauvinism; urges Pope Francis to ensure that second stage of inquiry focuses just as positively on contributions of American's modern nuns. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Pope Francis, who helped facilitate agreement between Cuba and United States, appears to be asserting his vision of diplomatic boldness; is willing to take risks and insert Vatican into diplomatic disputes, attempting to establish Vatican as trusted broker of accords. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

Pope Francis is being credited with helping to broker thaw in relations between United States and Cuba by sending letters to Pres Obama and Pres Raul Castro and hosting diplomatic meeting between the two leaders in October; Francis's success is supported by his status as first Latin American pope of Roman Catholic Church. MORE

Dec. 17, 2014

Investigation by Vatican into Catholic nuns that began six years earlier concludes with mostly positive report acknowledging accomplishments and challenges of women in religious service. MORE

Dec. 17, 2014

Headstone makers in New Jersey are battling Catholic Church over Archdiocese of Newark's decision to offer headstones to customers of cemeteries it owns; say church has unfair advantage due to tax-exempt status; New Jersey State Senate and State Assembly will vote on bills that would prohibit religious entities that own or operate cemeteries from competing with private businesses. MORE

Dec. 15, 2014

Documents reveal that Cardinal Timothy M Dolan is proposing an additional 38 parishes in Archdiocese of New York be consolidated, in addition to the 112 that have already been targeted to merge. MORE

Dec. 15, 2014

Side Street column; Pope Francis sends rosary to Dennis Martinez, inmate at Sing Sing, after a drawing of his was presented to Francis; unlikely exchange is result of prison volunteer, Betty Woodward, who secured brief audience with the pope where she presented gifts from prison inmates. MORE

Dec. 14, 2014

Serge Schmemann Quick History column reflects on events of the week, including release of Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA's use of torture and Pope Francis assuring young boy that dogs can go to heaven. MORE

Dec. 13, 2014

Pope Francis reportedly refuses to meet with Dalai Lama, who is in Rome for gathering of Nobel Peace Prize laureates; pope's action seems to be further success for China in its efforts to isolate the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, but Vatican claims Pope Francis will not meet with any of the Nobel laureates and says Dalai Lama is held in high esteem. MORE

Dec. 12, 2014

Pope Francis, in public remarks, supports notion that animals can participate in a spiritual afterlife; assuring little boy whose dog had died that all creatures can know 'paradise,' Francis stirs debate on whether animals have souls; theologians caution that Francis was not making a doctrinal statement, but many see remarks as repudiation of conservative Catholic theology. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

Cardinal George Pell, Vatican's chief financial officer, reports his staff has discovered hundreds of millions of euros in assorted accounts that Vatican was not aware of; Pell does not identify where cash was hidden or by whom, or indicate there is any malpractice involved; notes that Vatican departments have long had independent finances, which might explain why his own branch had been left in the dark about the money. MORE

Dec. 4, 2014

Number of prominent Roman Catholic priests and laypeople in Sri Lanka are appealing to Pope Francis to delay his January visit, saying government is using it as propaganda to simply pope’s support for Pres Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is seeking unprecedented third term in office. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Pope Francis visits Sultan Ahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia on second day of his trip to Turkey; prays alongside senior cleric Rahmi Yaran in effort to promote further interreligious dialogue for peace. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Church of St Elizabeth of Hungary, New York’s Roman Catholic parish for the deaf, is one of 31 churches in the archdiocese set to close by August 2015; news of closing came as a shock to many parishioners, who believed church's special status as sanctuary for the deaf would protect it. MORE

Father Boyd was among a handful of white clergymen who became nationally known for civil rights and protesting war, and — after disclosing in 1976 that he was gay — fought for women and homosexuals in the church.